Adjustable file and holder



Aug. 21, 1928.

E. A. BANSCHBACH ADJUSTABLE FILE AND HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug; 11. 1920 llll tllllnl T ,ZFZWQ 7.4%

E. A., BANSCHBACH ADJUSTABLE FILE AND HOLDER Filed Aug. 11. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l-"w w fr/warz/g nzrat&fiaci Aug; 21, 1928.

E. A. BANSCHBACH ADJUSTABLE FILE AND HOLDER.

Filed Aug. 11. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,318

E. A. BANSCHBACH ADJUSTABLE FILE AND HOLDER Filed Aug. 11. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 j WW Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,681,318 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. BANSGHBACH, OF CHICAGO, IIiLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE FILE AND HOLDER.

Application filed August 11. 1920. Serial No. 402,789.

top and ends which may be moved to permitthe contents of the holder to be inclined either forwardly or backwardly, and in the case of a movable top, to permit access to the holder from the to when the opposite ends are so inclined. ther objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. The novelty consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts. In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a holder constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the movable ends, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the adjusting means; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is across section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a detail taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing a movable top and ends in connection therewith; Fig. 9 is a front view of the holder shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 illustratesthe holder with the top and the ends moved to uncover the receptacle.

In posting and other bookkeeping operations, it is sometimes convenient to offset some of the cards or files in order to have better access thereto, and the ordinary filing drawer is only as wide as the file itself, and no means is provided for making it any wider. The present invention provides, a. file or holder which takes up no more space than the ordinary receptacle of this kind, but also provides for extending either or both sides so that any of the files therein can be offset laterally in either direction to separate and afiord better access thereto. Means is also provided for inclining the front and-rear of the receptacle so that the files in the holder may be more easily finm gered. even though the contents completely and tightly fill the holder when it is closed. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the file or holder comprises a receptacle having a frame 1 to which ends 2 M31 are hinged, and sides 3 which are slidable laterally widen the receptacle.

The ends 2 preferably have side flaps 4 which terminate within the edges of the receptacle even when the ends are inclined outwardly to the greatest possible extent. These ends may be moved in unison by means of bars 5 each having an inwardly extending bend 6 loosely engaging a hole in a flap 4 and with a headed extremity 7, andthe o posite bars being attached to op osite ends of a lever 8 pivoted at the side 0 the receptacle so that when one end is moved in one direction, the opposite end will be forced in the opposite direction. air of these bars with their lever is mounte on each side of the receptacle.

At the bottom ofeach side 3 is a bent portion Q having slots 10 through which headed pins or rivets 11 extend into the bottom of I the receptacle, for iding the side 3 in its lateral movement. his course, the sides move laterally by simply drawing them out by hand, but means is also provided for moving them mechanically to any desired extent. As

shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a rod 12 may be mounted longitudinally in the receptacle with a squared projecting end 13 for rotat- -ing it by means of a key or crank. Adjacent the ends of the rod it has oppositely thread,- ed portions 14 and 15 upon which the thread, ed collars 16 are mounted. Pivotally attached at each side of each collar is'one end of,.a link 17, the other end of which is pivotally attached to the bottom portion 9 of a side 3, and as these collars are at oppositeends of the rod 12, the rotation of the rod in one direction will move both sides uniforml outward, and the-rotation in the o posite direction will draw the sides inwar ly.

If desired, only one side may be made movable in this manner or a separate operating device may be provided for each side, as

shown more clearly in Fig. 4. In this case the bottom portion 9 of the side 3 is provided with a series of perforations 18 adjacent each end of the side which are engaged by the teeth of a pinion 19 mounted on a. shaft 20, so that the rotation of the shaft will cause a corresponding movement of the side 3.

In the same Way the ends 2 may be operated by a rack or pinion construction, as shown in Fig. 5. In this case a flat strip 21 is attached to the side flap of each end 2, and has a rack portion 22 at its other end which is adapted tov engage with a pinion 23 rotatable within a keeper 24 which holds the racks in engagement with the pinion. It is obvious that the movement of one end 2 produces a corresponding movement of the other end, and the pinion is pivoted to the side 3 upon a rivet 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. Where this construction is employed in connection with a movable side, it is necessary to provide the strip 21 with bent extremities 26 which operate inwardly through the flaps 4 of the ends 2, as more clearly shown in Fig. 6. By providing the bars 5 or the strips 21 with these bent extremities, the sides may be moved outwardly without the adjustment of the ends, and of course, the ends may be moved outwardly independent of the movement of the sides.

In order to provide means for locking cards 27 or filing devices of any kind, within the receptacle, a false bottom 28 may be provided, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, with a space between two of the sections'in which a locking rod 29 is mounted for engagement with a perforated tab 30 at the bottom of the card 27. A somewhat different construction is shown in Fi 6 in which the bottom of the receptacle is ormed with an upright projection 31 at one side of the locking rod 29, and the inner edge of the movable side 32 has a eorrespondingprojection 33 which supports the filing car Of course, this projection 33 might also be made a part of the bottom of the receptacle.

Although the files or holders already described are particularly designed and intended for use in file cabinets having a number of drawers, the same invention may be applicable to a separate and complete holder. Such a holder would naturally require a top or cover, as shown for example in Figs. 8 to 10. This receptacle 34 has a top 35 pivoted thereto with a vertical slot 36 at its rear end. At the front and rear are ends 37 pivoted to the bottom of the receptacle and connected by means of links 38 to the opposite ends of a lever 39 pivoted intermediate its ends to the side of the holder. Supports 40 are also provided pivoted to the upper extremities of the receptacle ends 37, and to each support a link 41 is pivotally connected which 1s also connected to a corresponding end of the lever 39. The connected ends of the rear support 40 and end 37 has a projection 42 which engages in the rear slot 36 of the cover 35, so that when the cover is raised, as shown in Fig. 10, the opposite ends 37 are inclined outwardly from the receptacle, and they are supported in the position to which they are moved by the supports 40. The leverage is also of such a nature that by, grasping the front end 37 or its support 40 and drawing it outwardly. the top will be raised and the rear end will be inclined accordingly. It is obvious that this construction may be incorporated as a part of the adjustable side structures heretofore described. This provides for expanding a file holder laterally either for the temporary purpose of facility in posting, or the extension may be permanent, if desired; it provides for extending one or both sides; it permits the extension of the sides independent of the ends; it permits the inclination of the ends independent of the sides and also when the sides are in any desired position; and if a top is used, it also provides for the raising of the top when the ends are inclined.

I claim:

1. In a file of the class described, a receptacle having hinged ends and slidable sides to open up and widen the receptacle to facilitate access thereto.

2. In a filing receptacle of the class de' scribed, a side having a slidable connection with the receptacle base to provide an additional lateral offset space, ends hinged to the bottom of the receptacle to swing outwardly, and means forming a loose but a supporting connection between the adjacent edges of and to permit the independent movement of the said ends and side.

3. In a file of the class described, a receptacle with a side movable outwardly from the remainder of the receptacle to provide a lateral offset the full height thereof, ends hinged to the receptacle base to swing outwardly, and means forming a pivotal and sliding connection between the ends of the said side and the adjacent extremities of the hinged ends to maintain connections between the side and ends independent of the movement and positions thereof.

4. In a file of the class described, a containing receptacle having an upright side which is individually movable laterally with respect to the base and ends of the receptacle, this side having an inside extension at the bottom and means including a pin and slot for providing a slidable connectlon with the base, so that the side may be moved to afford a lateral enlargement for posting and the like.

5. In a file of the class described, a receptacle having sides adjustable laterally, and ends hinged to swing outwardly at the top, and means connected to the movable sides for swingim the ends outwardly in unison independently of the movement or position of the sides.

6. In a file of the class described a containing receptacle having opposite upright sides, both of which are separable from the base and the ends and are movable laterally with respect thereto to provide additional lateral posting 5 aces on both sides of the main body and ase of the receptacle, and means including a slotted extension of the side forming a slidable supporting connection between each side and the adjacent portions of the rece tacle.

7. An adjusta le file comprising a recepmeans for the ends being mounted upon the sides.

8. Ina file of the class described, the combination with movable ends, and means for moving them in unison, of a cover for the file, and a connection between the cover and the ends for inclining the ends when the cover is raised. v

9. In an adjustable file', a receptacle with ends hinged to swing outwardly, havin angular wing projections at the sides 0 the latter to fill the space between the edges of the sides and the said ends when they are inclined outwardly. a

10. In an adjustablefile, a receptacle having hinged ends to swing outwardly from the top thereof, and angular wings extending inwardly from the edges of the ends, in combination with means mounted on the side of the receptacle and engageable withthe said wings for operating the two ends in unison.

11. In an adjustable file,'a pair of hinged ends, a side: mounted laterally, apair of side wings extending inwardly from the edges of each end, and means in connection with the side for moving the ends in unison, the said means comprising a member with an angular extension inserted through one of the wings to each end member and permitting the lateral movement of the side without disen- "EDWARD A; BANSGHBACH. 

